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Thursday, August 27, 2009

For my contribution to TVD's Twitstock event, I've chosen songs that reflect the musical interests as seen on my twitter profile. So included are an example of a fav Soul Music deep cut, a Detroit Techno track, a interesting remix, and 3 minute pop gem.J. J. Barnes - Baby Please Come Back Home (Mp3)When I first starting listening to tracks that became popular within the Northern Soul scene, J. J. Barnes "Baby Please Come Back Home" became of my own personal favs. Recorded and released on one of many smaller Detroit labels trying to compete with Motown in the 60s. It was a minor hit at the time of release, that later became sought after by UK soul music collectors.

Paperclip People - Throw (Mp3)I grew up in the Detroit area and even though I've settled in the DC area, the rock, soul, jazz and techno music coming from that region continues to provide much of the soundtrack to my life. I started listening to and collecting some of those early Detroit Music techno records from the innovators Derrick May, Juan Atkins and Kevin Saunderson. Carl Craig was part of the second wave of Detroit musicians who carried on the tradition of creating innovate techno tracks. Here under one of Craig's many identities, Paperclip People, is his track "Throw", which remains one of my all time favorite tracks.

Felipe Musica - 1901 (Roots Remix) (Mp3)One of the more interesting remixes I've heard of late was done for a Phoenix track from their new album. 1901 (Roots Remix) created by Felipe Musica, takes a Parisian band and drops them into Studio One in Jamaica. A very clever remix indeed this one...

Cliff Hillis - Northern Lights (Mp3)In a perfect world Cliff Hillis's "Northern Lights", a radio friendly ditty would be topping the charts and blaring from cars across the land. Three minutes of pure pop bliss!

Prefab Sprout - The Yearning Loins (Mp3)Normally I probably would have chosen a cover as my last pick, but the other night I had the oddest dream involving Prefab Sprout's "Two Wheels Good" album, so had to go with a track from that one. I even have an original UK vinyl pressing of this album, when it was first released under the title "Steve McQueen". This is such a brilliant album start to finish it was tough to pick just a single song off it, but ending going with "The Yearning Loins."

That's right - we've got two copies of We Were Pirates latest "Cutting Ties" for the first two people to Tweet us that you want 'em. Mention @vinyldistrict and @wwpmusic and they're yours!

Autumn is by far my favorite season and it is rapidly approaching. About this time every year, I get pretty excited by the prospect of getting in the car and driving out to the country. I tried to pick songs that would make a good Autumn driving mix.

Simon & Garfunkel - Baby Driver (Mp3)For some reason, when it starts getting cooler I want to listen to songs with a more organic sound (summer is generally reserved for the louder, more obnoxious music). And aside from the screeching engine sound effect, this song is simple, organic, and damn catchy. And who can argue with a song that so brilliantly uses car and driving terminology as euphamisms for sex.

Also, since this is a mix for Vinyl District, I had to choose a song off of “Bridge Over Troubled Water” because it is one of my favorite records to play on vinyl.

Delta Spirit - Gimme Some Motivation (Mp3)This is one of those songs that I wish I had written because it would be a blast to play live. It’s so simple and straight-ahead it kills me. I love it. Like Baby Driver, this too is a great song to drive to when the leaves start to turn.

Yo La Tengo - Autumn Sweater (Mp3)This whole album (“I Can Hear The Heart Beating As One”) reminds me of Autumn road trips. In fact, a few years ago a friend of mine and I sold our cars and bought little Honda motorcycles and set out on a week-long road trip through the Appalachian Mountains and the version of “Little Honda” on the record was kind of our theme song.

Anyway, aside from being a song that seems to capture my overly-romantic love of Autumn, this song in particular seems to showcase what I love so much about Yo La Tengo: the simplicity. The drum beat, and most of the music are the same throughout the whole song, the melody is simple and yet somehow it keeps me interested for nearly five-and-a-half minutes.

Iron & Wine - Naked As We Came (Mp3) Although this stands alone as the one really somber track on the mix, Autumn and Winter are generally when I dust off the Iron & Wine records and listen. I usually make a few backpacking trips on the AT when it starts getting cold and Iron & Wine gets a lot of play driving to and from the trail head. The lyrics of this song are brilliantly romantic and creepy at the same time. It may be a bit morbid, but I really like the idea of two lovers discussing their eventual departure from this world.

Emitt Rhodes - With My Face On The Floor (Mp3)Although Emitt Rhodes seemed to borrow pretty heavily from Paul McCartney on this record, he did so in a way where his sound still managed to be unique. And it's tough to fault him when his songs are often as good or better than some of my favorite Paul-fronted Beatles songs.

I love the production on this song and the whole album. The guitar tones have just the right amount of crunch, the piano has a nice natural warmth, the harmonies mix really well, and the drums and percussion are at the perfect level in the mix. The production is especially impressive when you consider he played and recorded everything on this record himself.

Catch We Were Pirates this Saturday (8/29) at The Rock and Roll Hotel opening for Paul Michel and Mother Mother.